4 March 2025

McDonald's Austria Supports Women’s Safety: New Partnership with Frauenhelpline

Raising Awareness on Women's Day: A Step Towards Safety

International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8, honors the achievements of women worldwide and highlights the ongoing struggle for gender equality. While many women enjoy the benefits of progress and support, countless others still face daily violence, often hidden behind closed doors. This violence can escalate to severe harm or even femicide. Addressing this issue requires continuous effort, and initiatives like the latest cooperation between McDonald's Austria and the Frauenhelpline are essential steps in the right direction.

Frauenhelpline: A Lifeline for Victims of Violence

Established in 1998, the Frauenhelpline serves as an immediate point of contact for women experiencing violence. Operating 24/7, every day of the year, it offers free, nationwide assistance. The service is multilingual and ensures the anonymity of its callers, providing guidance based on feminist and women-specific principles. The helpline is staffed by professionals from diverse backgrounds, including social workers, counselors, psychologists, and sociologists.

One in Three Women Affected by Violence

According to Statistics Austria, one in three women in Austria is affected by violence. However, many incidents go unreported to the police, making support services like the Frauenhelpline even more crucial. The latest statistics published by the Association of Autonomous Austrian Women's Shelters (AÖF), of which the Frauenhelpline is a part, document not only overall cases of gender-based violence but also specific femicides and severe violent incidents that occurred this year. The AÖF has been advocating for the protection and support of women affected by violence since 1988, offering shelter, legal assistance, and public awareness initiatives. These figures highlight the urgent need for greater awareness and accessible assistance. (Source: aoef.at).

McDonald's Austria Takes Action with Restroom Awareness Campaign

Recognizing the societal issue of violence against women, McDonald's Austria has taken a proactive step by providing information about support services in women's restrooms. In collaboration with the Frauenhelpline, the company is placing specially designed stickers inside the stalls of women's restrooms in over 200 McDonald's restaurants across the country. These stickers read, "You can find help here. You are not alone!" and display the helpline's phone number, 0800-222-555. This initiative ensures that affected women can access crucial information discreetly in a safe and private space.

A Responsibility to Support and Protect

Ellen Staudenmayer, Managing Director of McDonald's Austria, stated that the company sees it as their responsibility to utilize their extensive reach to raise awareness among affected women about the important and low-threshold support offered by the Frauenhelpline. She highlighted the essential work the helpline does for victims of violence. By leveraging its platform and widespread presence, McDonald's Austria aims to help connect women with professional support.

Empowering Women Through Accessible Assistance

The central goal of the Frauenhelpline's counseling is to bring violence out of the private sphere and strengthen women's personal responsibility, following the principle of "help for self-help." By collaborating with McDonald's Austria, the helpline aims to reach a broader audience and ensure that women from all walks of life are aware of the support available. Maja Markanovic-Riedl, Managing Director of the AÖF association, stated in the press release that they are pleased with McDonald's Austria's involvement in this important task and appreciate the company's support in raising awareness through its extensive reach.

This partnership between McDonald's Austria and the Frauenhelpline exemplifies how businesses and support organizations can collaborate to address pressing societal issues, offering hope and assistance to those affected by violence.


Image: The image captures the launch of a joint initiative to raise awareness about violence against women by placing Frauenhelpline contact information in McDonald's restrooms across Austria. From left to right: Murat Doganay (McDonald's restaurant manager), Ellen Staudenmayer (Managing Director of McDonald's Austria), Maja Markanovic-Riedl (Management of the Association of Autonomous Austrian Women's Shelters - AÖF), Annika Schwaiger (Public Relations of the AÖF), and Thomas Richter (McDonald's franchisee). Photographer: Christian Husar. Photo: © McDonald's Austria.